GRC Blog

Welcome to the GRC Recorders pages. This blog provides details on all the relevant news of Glamorgan’s scarcer birds, plus all BBRC & WRP decisions that affect us locally. It will also be used to document the status and occurrence of these scarcer species and we welcome contributions from anyone with photographs, artwork or documentation of rarities past, present and future. The GRC also welcomes all seawatching news from around Glamorgan and news of passage migrants in spring & autumn, uncommon birds in our area and unusual behaviour.

All visitors are welcome. You must first register by sending an email to GlamRC@gmail.com before you can contribute. An invite will be sent to your email address. Blog content will be strictly moderated. Access to pages and downloads are available to everyone. All photographs on this blog remain the property of the originator. If you would like to use photos, please arrange permission beforehand.

The Glamorgan Rarities Committee, in conjunction with the Glamorgan Bird Club & Gower Wildlife , have agreed to co-operate with the Welsh Ornithological Society in the sharing of bird records & photographs in the interest of keeping accurate records and to promote birdwatching in North, Mid & South Wales.

Description Species Form

If you are fortunate enough to find an uncommon or rare bird within our recording area then you should describe your findings on our Description Species Form and return to the respective county recorder. Even if the validity of the record is to be decided by the WRP or BBRC, then the preferred procedure is to submit the record locally so that the appropriate recorder is aware of it, and for it to be referred on as appropriate.

By making good, clear and accurate notes at the time of the sighting you will increase your chances of a successful outcome. It is important to remember that it is the responsibility of the observer to prove, to the committee, in their description that the claimed sighting is an accurate one.

The form is in three parts. The top, clear tables headed Glamorgan Rarities Committee, are for the use of the committee when deliberating the record and should remain clear. The following, banded tables are for the observer to enter the important information regarding the sighting environment and observer details. The third part allows you to detail, in depth, the circumstances surrounding the sighting and should also detail a full description and your evaluation of the species claimed. If you have taken photos and are able to do so, they can be embedded within your description on the form, provided they do not make the file size too large for e-mailing.

The committee receives many submitted forms throughout the year and the process of assessing them all is a time consuming one. To help this process run smoothly we advise you first and foremost to include clear notes and to complete and return them promptly, thus avoiding a backlog of forms towards the end of the year. If at all possible please return the forms by email.

Please also take time to visit the Description Guidelines page(above) where further useful information is available.